Automobile plant holder

ABSTRACT

An automobile air freshener has a growing scented plant growing at the window of the automobile in a two piece pot shaped and arranged to receive the plant and a wire hanger bracket attaching the pot to the window of the automobile including a mounting ring for engaging around the pot and a mounting portion attached to the window of the automobile either by suction cups or by a loop hanging over a top edge of the window.

This invention relates to a plant holder which can be used for example in an automobile as an air freshening system which allows a user to freshen the air within the automobile in a manner which is environmentally friendly and attractive.

It is one object of the invention to provide an improved air freshener for an automobile.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an automobile plant holder comprising:

a pot shaped and arranged to receive a growing scented plant;

and a hanger bracket for attachment of the pot to a window of the automobile including a mounting ring for engaging around the pot and a mounting portion shaped and arranged for attachment to the window of the automobile.

Preferably the bracket is formed of wire, but other materials such as injection molded plastics can also be used.

Preferably the mounting portion includes one or more suction cups for attachment by suction to the window.

Preferably the mounting portion includes a depending portion extending vertically downwardly along an inside surface of the window and the mounting ring extends from a bottom of the depending portion extending outwardly therefrom.

Preferably the bracket is formed of wire and the depending portion comprises a pair of parallel wire legs spaced apart across the window.

Preferably the mounting portion includes one or more suction cups located between the wire legs for attachment by suction to the window

Preferably the mounting portion includes a depending portion extending vertically downwardly along an inside surface of the window and a hanger portion at an upper end of the depending portion for engaging over a top edge of the window and depending therefrom, and the mounting ring extends from a bottom of the depending portion extending outwardly therefrom.

Preferably the depending portion comprises a pair of parallel wire legs spaced apart across the window.

Preferably the pot comprises an inner pot portion having a peripheral wall and a perforated base for drainage and an outer pot portion having a peripheral wall and an imperforate base with the outer pot portion arranged to receive the inner pot portion therein with the perforated base spaced from the base of the outer pot portion.

Preferably the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the inner pot portion lies in contact with the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the outer pot portion thus holding the perforate base spaced from the base of the outer pot portion.

Preferably the outer pot portion includes a shoulder around its peripheral wall resting against the mounting ring.

According to a second definition of the invention there is provided an automobile air freshener comprising:

an automobile window;

a growing scented plant for growing at the window;

a pot shaped and arranged to receive the growing scented plant;

and a hanger bracket for attachment of the pot to the window of the automobile including a mounting ring for engaging around the pot and a mounting portion attached to the window of the automobile.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view through an air freshener according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the bracket only of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 but which can be readily modified for use in the embodiment of FIG. 3.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The air freshener according to the present invention comprises an automobile window 10 on which is mounted a mounting bracket 11 carrying a plant pot 12 within which is a growing scented plant 13. The plant is preferably a herb such as rosemary, lavender, chocolate mint, lemon verbena which is sufficiently aromatic to provide an attractive scent within the automobile to replace less acceptable smells commonly associated with an automobile.

The pot 12 comprises an outer pot 14 having a suitably aesthetic appearance with a peripheral wall 15 and a base 16, both of which are closed for imperforate so as to provide a closed container. The pot is preferably formed of suitable plastics material so as to be generally unbreakable if dropped. The pot 14 has a rib 16 around its upper edge defining a shoulder 17 on the peripheral wall for attachment into the bracket 11. Within the outer pot 14 is provided an inner pot 18 having a peripheral wall 19 and a base 20. The peripheral wall follows the angle of the peripheral wall 15 of the outer pot so that it can slide into the outer pot with the outer surface of the peripheral wall 19 in contact with the inner surface of the peripheral wall 15 thus holding the pot at a predetermined location within the outer pot with the base 20 spaced away from the base 16. The base 20 is perforated with holes 21 which allow drainage from soil 22 within the inner pot. The inner pot is hidden within the outer pot so that its top edge 23 is spaced downwardly from the top edge 24 of the outer pot. Thus the inner pot can be readily inserted into the outer pot allowing the plant 13 to be replaced while leaving the outer pot and bracket in place. The outer pot fully contains the plant and the soil 22 to avoid spillage of soil or draining water from the inner pot. The plant grows out over the lip 24 to an extent determined by selection of the plant and application of suitable horticultural techniques.

The bracket 11 is formed from wire as best shown in FIG. 4 and comprises a bottom mounting ring 30 which defines a substantially circular wire for engaging under the shoulder 17 to receive the outer pot contained within the mounting ring. The wire forming the mounting ring is bent to form a cantilever outwardly extending portion 31 and then is bent vertically upwardly to define a mounting portion 32. Thus the mounting portion 32 lies vertically along the inside surface of the window 10 so that the cantilever portion 31 extends horizontally outwardly from the window to carry the plant pot in the ring 30 at a position spaced outwardly from the window. The bracket is formed from wire so that the wire forming the ring 30 defines two parallel legs extending from the ring 30 to define two parallel wires of the cantilever section 31 and two parallel wires of the mounting portion 32. The wires are joined by a loop 33 at the upper end of the mounting portion 32. The wires are parallel and spaced by a suitable distance so as to reduce the tendency of the ring and the pot carried in the ring from twisting about a vertical axis at the window.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the vertical mounting section 32 is attached to the window 10 by two suction cups 40 and 41 each of which includes a mounting head 42 on its rear surface with a neck 43 located between the wires. Thus the head 42 projects through between the wires thus trapping the suction cup between the wires at the neck of the suction cup and holding a suction cup in place. The loop 33 engages over the neck of the upper suction cup 40 so that it hangs from the upper suction cup and is stabilized by the lower suction cup. The cantilever effect of the portion 31 on the ring tends to push the mounting portion 32 downwardly and inwardly against the lower suction cup 41 thus holding the structure stable and reducing the tendency of the device to swing away from the window with a danger of swinging back into impact with the window. Thus the structure is held substantially rigidly in place with the suction cup providing enough resilience to accommodate changes in direction without spilling of the soil 22 or loss of the plant 13.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the suction cups 40 are replaced by loop 32B at the top of the mounting portion 32A where the loop forms a hook engaged over the top edge 10A of the window 10. Thus the hook is bent so that the upper loop 33A is located on the exterior surface of the window thus forming a downwardly projecting portion 33B parallel to the main part 32C of the mounting portion 32A. The upper edge 10A of the window is moved upwardly into engagement with the upper part of the door or body as indicated at 10C to hold the hook in place thus holding the main body of the mounting portion 32C in position against the inside surface of the window.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. 

1. An automobile plant holder comprising: a pot shaped and arranged to receive a growing plant; and a hanger bracket for attachment of the pot to a window of the automobile including a mounting ring for engaging around the pot and a mounting portion shaped and arranged for attachment to the window of the automobile.
 2. The holder according to claim 1 wherein the bracket is formed of wire.
 3. The holder according to claim 1 wherein the mounting portion includes one or more suction cups for attachment by suction to the window.
 4. The holder according to claim 1 wherein the mounting portion includes a depending portion extending vertically downwardly along an inside surface of the window and the mounting ring extends from a bottom of the depending portion extending outwardly therefrom.
 5. The holder according to claim 1 wherein the bracket is formed of wire and the depending portion comprises a pair of parallel wire legs spaced apart across the window.
 6. The holder according to claim 1 wherein the mounting portion includes one or more suction cups located between the wire legs for attachment by suction to the window
 7. The holder according to claim 1 wherein the mounting portion includes a depending portion extending vertically downwardly along an inside surface of the window and a hanger portion at an upper end of the depending portion for engaging over a top edge of the window and depending therefrom, and the mounting ring extends from a bottom of the depending portion extending outwardly therefrom.
 8. The holder according to claim 7 wherein the depending portion comprises a pair of parallel wire legs spaced apart across the window.
 9. The holder according to claim 1 wherein the pot comprises an inner pot portion having a peripheral wall and a perforated base for drainage and an outer pot portion having a peripheral wall and an imperforate base with the outer pot portion arranged to receive the inner pot portion therein with the perforated base spaced from the base of the outer pot portion.
 10. The holder according to claim 9 wherein the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the inner pot portion lies in contact with the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the outer pot portion thus holding the perforate base spaced from the base of the outer pot portion.
 11. The holder according to claim 9 wherein the outer pot portion includes a shoulder around its peripheral wall resting against the mounting ring.
 12. An automobile air freshener comprising: an automobile window; a growing scented plant for growing at the window; a pot shaped and arranged to receive the growing scented plant; and a hanger bracket for attachment of the pot to the window of the automobile including a mounting ring for engaging around the pot and a mounting portion attached to the window of the automobile.
 13. The air freshener according to claim 12 wherein the bracket is formed of wire.
 14. The air freshener according to claim 12 wherein the mounting portion includes one or more suction cups for attachment by suction to the window.
 15. The air freshener according to claim 12 wherein the mounting portion includes a depending portion extending vertically downwardly along an inside surface of the window and the mounting ring extends from a bottom of the depending portion extending outwardly therefrom.
 16. The air freshener according to claim 12 wherein the bracket is formed of wire and the depending portion comprises a pair of parallel wire legs spaced apart across the window.
 17. The air freshener according to claim 15 wherein the mounting portion includes one or more suction cups located between the wire legs for attachment by suction to the window
 18. The air freshener according to claim 12 wherein the mounting portion includes a depending portion extending vertically downwardly along an inside surface of the window and a hanger portion at an upper end of the depending portion engaging over a top edge of the window and depending therefrom, and the mounting ring extends from a bottom of the depending portion extending outwardly therefrom.
 19. The air freshener according to claim 18 wherein the depending portion comprises a pair of parallel wire legs spaced apart across the window.
 20. The air freshener according to claim 12 wherein the pot comprises an inner pot portion having a peripheral wall and a perforated base for drainage and an outer pot portion having a peripheral wall and an imperforate base with the outer pot portion arranged to receive the inner pot portion therein with the perforated base spaced from the base of the outer pot portion. 